ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 27th May. Click Here for more information.
Source- The post is based on the article “Right lessons” published in “The Hindu” on 11th April 2023.
Syllabus: GS2- Issues related to development and management of education
Relevance– Issues related to syllabus and curriculum
News– Recently, controversy has been created by revision in NCERT textbooks.
Read more – NCERT Textbook Revision
Why do textbooks and pedagogy need to be revised periodically?
Knowledge expands continuously. Syllabus revision is essential for a robust education system. Teaching to the younger generation is a collective decision of a society. Formal education is a critical part of it. The values and ethics of the collective are reflected in education.
As any society matures, it might be able to see the darker episodes of the past. It is important to decide the appropriate levels at which learners are introduced to various levels of knowledge.
When does the change in syllabus become problematic?
Sometimes, this exercise is carried out in a politically partisan manner, and in disregard of expertise. It turns out to be toxic when strife, not harmony, is promoted through formal education.
What is the way forward for syllabus change?
India’s growth and development depends almost entirely on educating the young population with vocational and social skills.
Youngsters should turn into caring citizens of a pluralistic nation. They should learn history with the aim of not repeating its tragedies in order to build a harmonious future.
There should be wider, more transparent consultations in shaping the curriculum at all levels.
